Simon Collins

JANUARY’S Muscle Camp at FF Fitness concluded last Friday and, after a challenging month of high intensity training during the dark winter mornings, I’ve exceeded all expectations.

My initial goal was to shed some excess body weight gained over the Christmas period and get into decent shape under the guidance of FF Fitness’ vastly experienced personal trainers.

And, while this is only the start of my fitness journey in 2016, the tried and tested Muscle Camp has given me the perfect platform to achieve my personal goals.

A lot of planning goes into the programme and, indeed, science, with each recruit offered a biosignature assessment at the start of the camp, designed to track skinfolds to make sure you’re gaining lean mass and ideally dropping body fat to improve performance and recovery.

I’ve already achieved some excellent results in such a short period of time and have greatly improved my strength and techniques in the gym.

And my body fat measurements have been reduced from 18.7 per cent to an impressive 14.7 per cent while I’ve lost five pounds and have increased my lean muscle mass by four pounds!

Okay, losing five pounds in four weeks won’t win me any slimmer of the year awards but muscle camps are designed for lean muscle gain and I’m happy with my results.

It’s been an exhilarating experience and I’ve not only changed my body shape for the better, I’ve also gained great nutritional knowledge and learned some excellent exercise techniques.

You get out what you put in and, if you stick to the tailor-made diets and put the effort into the tri-weekly high intensity training methods at FF Fitness, then you’re guaranteed great results.

For me, the diet was always going to be the most difficult part of the Muscle Camp programme but I quickly learned that preparation was the key and I felt the benefits of a ‘clean’ diet. I had much more energy and felt generally healthier.

Simon Collins pictured during a tough chest and back session at FF Fitness' muscle camp.

Four weeks is such a short time to see huge results but I know, if I can continue on from where I left off last Friday, I will see some outstanding results in the near future.

Each week, the intensity of the workouts at the camp increased and our final week of the camp got off to a tough start with ‘leg day’.

MONDAY 6a.m.: I always find it’s best to get leg day out of the way at the start of the week as it’s the least enjoyable for me. And we were taken through a leg workout which was based on super setting opposite muscle groups, leg curls, leg extensions, Hack squats, Romanian deadlifts after a warm-up on the prowler which got the pulse racing and the legs burning.

WEDNESDAY 6a.m.: Wednesday’s session was focussed on super setting chest and back with cable flyes, seated rows, bench press and lat pull downs and dumbbell flyes and partial deadlifts included in a tight 45 minute session with tempo controlled reps to increase a lot of tension!

You get out what you put in and, if you stick to the tailor-made diets and put the effort into the tri-weekly high intensity training methods at FF Fitness, then you’re guaranteed great results.

Simon Collins

We finished the session off with some high intensity cardio work on the prowler. It was a great fat burning session and hugely enjoyable.

FRIDAY 6a.m.: The camp concluded with an excellent full body circuit which focussed on every muscle group. And, just when we felt our session had come to an end, we were guided downstairs where we were taken through farmer’s walks, prowler push & pulls, sledgehammer tractor tyre training , kettlebells, deadlifts and more! It was an excellent way to end a memorable and richly rewarding four week camp.

I was disappointed our camp game to an end and I know that, if I continued training in the same manner for another four weeks, I would see vast changes in my fitness and body shape.

Already February’s Muscle Camp has begun with the next set of recruits braving the training sessions in the hope of changing their lifestyles and training methods for the better. However, each month, they run camps at FF Fitness bases in Springtown Industrial Estate, Derry, Dungiven and in Letterkenny and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to build lean muscle under the first class guidance from the lads at the various centres.

While I’ll attempt to put lessons learned to the test on my own at the gym this month, I’m planning on giving the Muscle Camp another go in the coming months. I enjoyed my experience so much.

The personal trainers have a sterling reputation and give you their undivided attention and are experts at motivating you and helping you achieve your personal goals.

January's FF Fitness Muscle Camp recruits at the end of the four week programme.

So, give it a go . . . I can guarantee you’ll enjoy it and, most importantly, get the right results for you!

For further details on the Muscle Camp and other fitness programmes available at FF Fitness, visit www.ff-fitness.com